Raiders start process of recovery

The Raiders began the process of putting a 35-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in perspective Monday, a day after their hopes of validating their status as a re-emerging power crumbled against a superior opponent in a hostile venue.
Being that the loss came after three straight wins, the general feeling is that it won’t have the same effect as a one-sided loss would have had in past years.

“It’s not about, `we’ve got to figure out how we can win,’ ‘’ fullback Marcel Reece said. “It’s not that type of issue. We know we can win. We know we can win against good teams. We know it’s about going back and doing it.’’

“That’s football,’’ said cornerback Stanford Routt with a shrug. “Yeah, it was pretty ugly. Offense, defense, special teams. . . but we’ve got Miami this week, plain and simple.’’

Reserve running back and core special teams player Rock Cartwright said coach Tom Cable’s postgame message was simple and direct.

“That wasn’t us. We didn’t play the way we normally play,’’ Cartwright said. “Take it in stride, put it behind us, and go forward with the next game because you can’t beat a dead horse. We’ll go and watch the tape, go forward and get ready for Miami this week.’’

More news, notes and quotes from Monday’s open locker room session:

—There was no sign of Richard Seymour in the Raiders’ locker room Monday. Seymour was ejected with 1:23 to go in the half for an open-handed punch in the face of Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Seymour, who was fined $7,500 last year for pulling the hair of Denver tackle Ryan Clady and another $10,000 for hitting a Cleveland player after the whistle last season, will almost certainly be fined again and could face suspension. He told reporters he was sorry for letting his team down following the game.

Linebacker Quentin Groves thought Roethlisberger to be an unfortunate victim in an ongoing tussle between Seymour and Pittsburgh guard Chris Kemoeatu.

“As I saw the replay, I see what happened. The thing was, all the offensive linemen, as well as some of us, were getting chippy because they were chipping after the whistle,’’ Groves said. “And then Richard, as Ben goes and tries and break the fight up, Richard reacts. That’s just a reaction that a fighter has, and that’s what he is, a fighter. To react like that is just a basic combination.”

Roethlisberger made no mention of attempting to be a peacemaker following the game.

Seymour’s ejection was only the most visible indiscretion in game full of pushing, shoving and flared tempers.

“We want to turn it into a street fight, but, you know. I don’t like the ejection. I’ll say that. That’s frustrating. They were doing stuff to us, they just caught the one act that we do, and they want to throw a guy out. Which I think is huge,’’ safety Mike Mitchell said. “He’s one of our better players, a leader on our team. We want to turn everything into a street fight and we didn’t win it. So shame on us.’’

Speaking about the possibility of a suspension for Seymour, Groves said, “You get suspended for anything right now, but I don’t know. I’m going to let commissioner Goodell and the powers that be decide that. If he’s there he’s there, if he’s not we have to still get ready to go out and play Miami.”

— With coach Tom Cable reaffirming Campbell’s hold on the starting job following the game, Bruce Gradkowski will be ready if called upon against Miami.

“It doesn’t change my approach,’’ Gradkowski said. “It’s like an up and down roller coaster but you just have to keep grinding, keep going. Like I said, I felt great in the game yesterday. That’s what made me excited is that physically I feel good, I feel ready to go. That’s my number one thought. As long as I feel good I can’t worry about the rest. I’ll just keep working hard and be ready.

Gradkowski entered the game with the Raiders trailing 21-3 with 4:42 left in the third quarter and promptly drove them from their own 20 to the Pittsburgh 24 before being intercepted by Troy Polamalu, who returned it 48 yards.

Gradkowski took responsibility for the mistake, which came on a pass intended for Jacoby Ford.

“I saw a guy coming free and I kind of tried to just get the ball out of my hand and I never saw Polamalu,’’ Gradkowski said.
“I kind of thought it was just going to go into the ground right there. That sucker comes out of nowhere and takes it. He made a good play and I can’t do that. That was a key drive right there.

“ If we put a touchdown in the end zone, you know hey, who knows what would have happened. You just kind of have to learn from it.’’

— Running back Darren McFadden said the Raiders simply didn’t respond to the Steelers’ physical defense.

“They came out swinging and it seemed like we kind of balled up when they were swinging and we didn’t respond to the punch they through at us,’’ McFadden said.

— Mitchell wants the Raiders to keep the feeling of the loss inside as a reminder of how bad it feel as they prepare to face the Dolphins.

“We were so high and really believing we were going to win the game, and to get smacked like that, that hurts,’’ Mitchell said. “That’s very humbling. Hopefully everyone’s just motivated as I am and I’m sure they are. That’s the only thing you can do is go back to work and get ready to play Sunday.’’

More to come after Raiders coach Tom Cable meets with the media at 2 p.m. . . .

Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer

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I was jhoping Bush would get the bulk of the carrries in this game but he didn’t touch it until late in the 2nd qrtr. DMC should’ve beeen more in the passing game with perimeter runs. But hey they did what they did. So be it…..

Just Fire Baby

Nobody is ever going to trade for Nnamdi with that ridiculous contract unless (A) he either accepts a renogiated contract or (B) we get 40 cents on the dollar for him.

Same thing with VY. He is scheduled to make $12 million dollars next year. Not a team in the world who will pay him that, including us and the Titans

SnB Production

JB,

Can’t agree. Nnamdi is not a luxury. Nnamdi is a weapon on the field.

If he played yesterday, the score at halftime is 10-3.

Look at all the LLLLOOOOOOOOONGGGGGG completions on 3rd down.

The lack of blitzing etc..etc..

No, keep Nnamdi and we have a TOP 10 defense…Get rid of him and they are in the back of the pack….in a permanent prevent defense.

LA to TheBay

priesttj Says:
November 22nd, 2010 at 2:00 pm
I was jhoping Bush would get the bulk of the carrries in this game but he didn’t touch it until late in the 2nd qrtr. DMC should’ve beeen more in the passing game with perimeter runs. But hey they did what they did. So be it…..

————————

Every other week our coaching sucks, so it looks like we will put up 60 on Miami.

I like Kolb, but there just isn’t enough film on him to make a trade like that. Remember when he took over when Vick was injured? Everyone was yelling that he couldn’t get the balls to the WRs…and his WRs are MUCH better than our. How is he different than Campbell?

priesttj

My only criticism with Grads is that he will throw caution to the wind tooo often. He just takes too many chances and sometimes he can’t reign it in.

JB

# inonewordraider Says:
November 22nd, 2010 at 1:51 pm

So we all loved Seymour cracking Ben in the face right? I mean at the time it put on your smile at least?
************************

Yes! It was the only Raider attitude that I saw all day. Too bad it resulted in a rejection. I know Seymour said he felt like he let the team down. Again, the right attitude. More of our team needs to adopt this take no prisoners attitude. That’s old school Raider when we were the true monsters of the midway – so to speak.

SnB Production

Just Fire Baby Says:
November 22nd, 2010 at 1:56 pm
Terrible throw by Bruce. An incomplete pass would have still set up a FG that could have made it a two possession game.

====================================================
JFB,

when Bruce came in I reminded the steelers in my section about his exploits a year ago. When he drove down the field I started trash talking….then the pick…then I left

J Hill

JFB,

When was the last time we saw an 8 man front? Are you really telling me Pitts would’ve loaded up and 8 man front with DHB and Ford on the field?

Not likely!

The 8 man front took DHB right outta the game.

SnB Production

“the steelers fans in my section”

Just Fire Baby

J,

I am telling you that Pittsburgh doesn’t change what they do defensively when Pro Bowl WR’s roll into town, so chances are they would have laughed in DHB’s face more than anything and beat his azz at he LOS.

mistic1

There seems to be way too much panic and overreaction on this board today. We got thumped by a better team.

We come out and stink it up against miami at home, then we can be worried. At this point the team is about where they should be maybe even a little better than most of us thought going in.

J Hill

When he drove down the field I started trash talking….then the pick…then I left

——————————————————-

LOL!

Happened in here too. The Gardowski guys were going nuts with those forst 3 completions for 12 yds, lol.

Cricketts after the pick.

Just Fire Baby

SnB,

I was feeling pretty good for about a minute too, but truth be told, I had a pretty bad feeling on that 3rd down play.

Bruce has always been the underdog so his mindset is always to try to make a play and prove everyone wrong.

His greatest asset is also his biggest weakness.

Although in a 21-3 game, hard to think about FG’s, but really it would have extended the game a little furthur.

SnB Production

Mistic,

What’s happening right now is a sobering, albeit somewhat emotional, assessment of the way things are.

Had the Raiders just lost the game…let’s say 21 – 10…move on.

But they did a “Back 2 the Future” that brings all sorts of concerns to the table.

35-3? Damn! off a bye? come on!

No Mas Diamante

Jerry, not to be nit-picky but – It’s “threw”, not “through”. That’s why you get paid the big bucks. Come on man!

Just Fire Baby

LOL!

Happened in here too. The Gardowski guys were going nuts with those forst 3 completions for 12 yds, lol.

Cricketts after the pick.

********************************

The wife is a huge Grads guy, and hates Campbell as well.

She went upstairs on the computer just before halftime, and stayed there until I started jumping around making noise for Bruce.

She comes down the stairs for about 2 minutes, watches the pick, laughs at me and goes back up the stairs, lol

SnB Production

JFB,

You are right. I was thinking the same thing as I left…21-6 with a full quarter to play is still a ball game and Gradkowski needed to recognize that.

But it was fun for that short drive. The folks sitting next to me were actually very nervous…especially after the Bush run…it was uh-oh….and you started hearing the “WTF” from the fans and “not again”

But after the pick and I left…it was a little bit of trash talk from the other side.

I simply said we’ll be back….were gettin there….just not this time

SnB Production

63.J Hill Says:
November 22nd, 2010 at 2:11 pm
When he drove down the field I started trash talking….then the pick…then I left

——————————————————-

LOL!

Happened in here too. The Gardowski guys were going nuts with those forst 3 completions for 12 yds, lol.

Cricketts after the pick.

==================================================
I can only imagine!

J Hill

JFB,

I’ve watched a few Pitts games this year and I don’t recall them running 8 man fronts.

Regardless, I don’t believe there is a team out there that will play an 8 man front against us with Ford and DHB both on the field.

mistic1

# SnB Production Says:
November 22nd, 2010 at 2:13 pm

Mistic,

What’s happening right now is a sobering, albeit somewhat emotional, assessment of the way things are.

Had the Raiders just lost the game…let’s say 21 – 10…move on.

But they did a “Back 2 the Future” that brings all sorts of concerns to the table.

I find it hard to believe that there are Garbagekowski guys and Campbell guys at all…I mean it is like people arguing over which pimple faced fatty is better looking….what is the point? They are both ugly.

Just Fire Baby

JFB,

I’ve watched a few Pitts games this year and I don’t recall them running 8 man fronts.

***************************

Have the ever faced such a one-dimensional team?

We are one of the best running teams and one of the worst passing teams.

We have the 32nd ranked QB starter as far as completion % and the backup is even worse, lol.

I will give you this, if DHB actually made a play down the field in the game over the top, they might have switched up the defense. But to think that Dick Lebeau would have just conceded the big play to DHB before it happened is just off the charts ridiculous.

LA to TheBay

The wheels came off, and we were blown right off the field. Ugly and painful, but not world ending. This seems to be a resilient group, and I expect that they will look much better against miami.

So far except of houston and arizona, we are winning the games we are supposed to win.

This isnt nearly as bad as it seems.

——————————-

I agree. We’ll bounce back.

Maybe Gradkowski will get his wish and play these guys again.

priesttj

Well I know it’s a prbably not going to happen but I would love to see the Steelers again somehow. I don’t think they’re that much better than us I think we didn’t show up. I would’ve loved to see us play well and then see what happens.

inonewordraider

So far except of houston and arizona, we are winning the games we are supposed to win.

This isnt nearly as bad as it seems.

We weren’t a good team back then, now we are. We committed turnovers against a better team thus giving us no chance for an upset. We shut down the run, Exposehimselfer is a great qb and he made some plays. We could beat left on our schedule. We have Miami the Jags and Denver at home all of which we must and should win. The Chargers don’t have a homefield advantage being so close to LA but Rivers is tough so we could split the Indy and SD games. We do this and were 9 and 6 heading to KC for the final game of the season.

jmeds

Al needs to quit meddling with this team. Campbell can be good when there is protection, but when he has to make hot reads or split second decisions, he is very vulnerable. Bruce on the other hand sees the field better, quicker, and gives us the best chance to win, period. It was evident on his first play when he avoided the rush, rolled out, and hit Murphy I think on the sideline for 7 yards. Campbell would have took the sack. Then on the play when the steelers were off sides, he makes the quick pop pass for a first down. Those are the type of plays Campbell can’t make because of his anibility to make plays. Gradkowski, when healthy, should be our starter. But due to greater powers still has to wait. Unbelievable when you think about it, really.